Golden Era Group, the second largest printing
and packaging company in Southern Africa, is the latest operation to achieve
Esko‘s HD Flexo Certification. The accreditation was presented to Managing
Director Raj Chhita at the Flexographic Technical Association of SA luncheon on
September 14.
“Flexographic printing has improved greatly
over the last few years and the quality and productivity we can now achieve is
comparable to gravure and litho,” explains Mr. Chhita. “Next to work from
Southern Africa we are also winning business from companies in the UK and USA
and we expect that to continue to grow as people realize the quality we can
achieve. HD Flexo Certification highlights the consistency possible to help us
confidently win new work.”
Golden Era is a company that, since it was
founded in 1954 as New Era Paper Bags specializing in what was then called
"Soweto Bags", has continually reviewed its operations. Golden Era
Printers and Stationers was formed a year later manufacturing folding cartons,
followed by New Era Plastics, New Era Packaging, New Era Labels and Waxpak for
vacuum-formed and thermo-formed containers. Between 1988 and 1994, New Era
Plastics was re-structured creating a partnership with Colgate-Palmolive.
Acquisitions over the years have included Mondipak Alrode, Mondipak Phoenix,
Futura, Press Art and EH Walton.
Achieving HD Flexo Certification is an
extension to this and has enabled Golden Era to improve its service while at
the same time differentiating it from the competition. “Flexo is a more cost
effective method of production. In the last few years the quality has increased
as has the variety of substrates that can be printed. We are always looking at
ways to enhance our service and HD Flexo has enabled us to do that.”
Mr. Chhita has a strong relationship with
Esko distributor Antalis and Roshicka Govinder, marketing coordinator comments:
“Golden Era joins a select group of professionals both in South Africa and worldwide
who have been awarded HD certification - an outstanding achievement and
recognition of the exceptional quality standards which they can obtain.”
Jacques Staelens, Esko Business Manager
Middle East & Africa, adds: “Developments in flexo print quality,
spearheaded by Esko, have been fast changing and far reaching. We are delighted
that Golden Era is yet another high profile operation to see how our HD Flexo
Certification helps customers add value in today’s highly demanding market.”
Headquartered in Gent, Belgium with R&D
and manufacturing facilities in five European countries, the United States,
China and India; Esko is a global supplier of integrated solutions for
packaging, printing and publishing and the worldwide market leader with
software for artwork creation, structural design, preproduction, workflow
automation, quality assurance and online collaboration. Esko solutions support
and manage the packaging and print processes at brand owners, retailers,
designers and packaging manufacturers.
